Process for utilizing the heat of an elastic fluid



Jan. 13 1-931. Y J. D. HOUSTON 1,788,673

FROGESS' FOR UTILIZING HEAT OF AN ELASTIC FLUID Filed Nov- 1 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (job/7D Housfon Jan. 13, 1931. J. D. HOUSTON 3 4 PROCESS FOR UTILIZING THE HEAT OF AN ELASTIC FLUID Filed Nov. 15', 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v" 1 1 T N 9 Patented Jan. 13, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOHN D. HOUSTON, OF PRINEVILLE, OREGON PROCESS FOR UTILIZING THE HEAT AN ELASTIC FLUID Application filed November 15, 1926. Serial No. 148,501.

My present invention relates to my application in the United States Patent Oflice for a thermodynamic mechanism, filed March 5, 1925, Serial Number 13,320, and further relates to my present application filed concurrently herewith for a new and useful improvement in thermal plants.

The primary object of my present invention is to rovide a method of treating an m elastic flui as air, and utilizing the heat of compression for useful purposes, conserving a part of the energy required in compressing the elastic fluid to perform useful work, and finally expanding the fluid for the creating of low temperatures for domestic use and for other purposes.

The medium that is to be compressed may be maintained within certain limits of Confine, as within conduits and within the compression and expansion elements, or the same may be liberated at the end of each cycle of operation and I do not wish to be limited in my invention to conducting the medium with in any predetermined limits or confines, but

rather to the application of the principle in its broadest possible application.

A still further object of my new and improved method consists in the method of treatment in the compression of an elastic fluid and treatments of the compressed fluid thereafter for combined new and useful purposes.

A still further object of my new and improved method consists in the compressing of an elastic fluid, as air, the extracting of a part of the heat created in compressing the elastic fluid to warm a new supply of elastic fluid to be admitted to the compressor units, the extracting from the compressed fluid of a part of the ener required for the compressing of the fluid Edi the operating of a prime mover and the final expansion of the compressed fluid for the creating of low temperatures due to the expansion of the fluid.

And still further objects of my new and improved process is the compressing of an elastice fluid, as air, the extracting of the heat of compression for useful purposes, the recovery of a part of the energy of compression by passing the compressed fluid through a prime mover and finally the expanding of the compressed fluid for the creating of low temperatures.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the heat of an elastic fluid and particularly of the earths atmosphere may be so acted upon bycompression, expansion and heat transfer, that it may satisfy a relatively wide range of temperature requirements for domestic or other urposes, particularly that it may supply coo 'ng and refrigerating and intermediate temperatures simultaneously.

With these and incidental objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features embodied in the carrying out of the process, the essential elements of which are tt forth in the appended claim and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings for a suitable mechanism for the carrying out of the process, which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings Fig. l is a diagrammatical layout of a preferred form of embodiment that may be used in the successful carrying out of my process.

Fig. 2 is a continuation of the diagram matical layout illustrated in Fig. 1.

Like reference characters'refer to like parts throughout the several views.

2 is a fluid compressor, the same being driven primarily by the prime mover 1, and being driven secondarily by the expansion motor 9. 27 is an adjustment unit for varying the relative volume of the units 2 and 9, and is not illustrated in detail, as it may be of any well known construction; or in lieu of it, units 2 and 9 may either one or both be of a variable volume type. This is forthe purpose of more efficiently maintaining a constant pressure between the compressor and the elastic fluid motor. The elastic fluid is received into the compressor 2, through the inlet pipe 3. The exhaust pipe 4. leads from the compressor 2, and has a valve 4A therein. If so desired the total of the amount of compressed fluid may be made available to carry the heat to the desired point of use for the same. If a higher temperature, or greater heat concen- 100 tration is desired, the elastic fluid, or a suitable portion of it may be made to pass through the ipe 4B, and the valve 4C into the header 6A om where suitable pasages 6, of the heat transfer unit 5, may conduct the compressed and heated gases. A quantity of the same elastic fluid, before compression, may be carried through the heat transfer chamber 5 and be made to envelo and entirely surround the tubes 6, leading fiom the header 6A to the header 6B. Heat interchanger 5, represents any plurality of passages so related to one another as to facilitate the assage of heat from one body of elastic fluid owing therein to another such body and especially so that the relative temperatures of the respective bodies of elastiefluid may be substantially equalized. The elastic fluid may be conducted into chamber 5, through the inlet pipe 5A leading from a source of supply not here shown. The clas tic fluid may be Induced to flow through the chamber 5, and around the tubes carrying the heated and compressed fluid by the action of an induction fan 14 placed at the outlet end of the chamber 5, or elsewhere as desired, the fan being driven by a prime mover, as the electric motor 15. The elastic fluid to be compressed is passed through the chamber 5 is warmed by coming in contact with the coils 6, carrying the heated and compressed elastic fluid from the compressor. Part of the warmed medium passing through the chamber 5, may be used for heating purposes for domestic use and other purpose, or all of it may be passed through the compressor for increasing the temperatureof the compressed fluid. This will especially be found desirable where relatively high temperatures may be requiredfor some particular purposes. The compressed fluid that has been passed through the chamber 5 which is in reality a heat interchanger unit, may be passed out of the header 6B through the outlet pipe 60, to the expansion engine 9. The passing of the fluid through the motor 9 may be made to perform useful work as by supplying a part of the energy required for the running of the compressor unit 2 or in running the fluid motor and the using of the energy thus created for any desired purpose.

As the compressed cooled medium passes through the motor it is expanded to create low temperatures and this may be accomplished by expanding the cooled elastic fluid into coils within a refrigerator box 18 and 19.

The expansion coils in these two last units may be of any well known type suitable for air refrigeration, and for that reason are not shown in detail here.

The compressed fluid may be passed directly into the expansion coils in the refrigerator 18, by being passed through the pipe 20 without being passed through the motor 9. The compressed and partially expanded fluid may be further passed through pipes 10 disposed servation of all the energy of compression is not essential.

The warmed or cooled medium passin through the piping 10 may be distribute through registers 10B for warming or ventilating and warming purposes or for cooling purposes as the case may be.

The compressed medium of the higher temperatures passing through pipe 21 may be utilized for heating by the same being passed through the radiator 11, or through a domestic cooking element 12, or the same may be used for any other form of domestic or factory requirement, or for any other purpose.

Should it be found desirable to be able to vary the temperature, at the point of utilization, this may be accomplished within reasonable limits by passing and mixing a part of the warm medium and a part of the expanded cooled medium through a mixing chamber or valve, and is represented by the element As mixing valves are old in the art, it is believed that it is not necessary to illustrate this device indetail here. The amount of medium, both hot and cold, passed through the valve 22 can be determined by a proper operating lever which in this case'is represented broadly by the element 22A.

lVhile the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted for the carrying out of my process, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of carrying the same into effect, as herein illustrated and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows: a What I claim is 7 The process of utilizing the heat of an elastic fluid consisting in assing the fluid through a heat transfer 0 amber by induction, compressing the heated fluid, utilizing a portion of the compressed fluid for heating normal fluid entering the process through said heat transfer chamber, utilizing another portion for domestic cooking and heating elements, and expanding the exhaust from all of the above mentioned heating elements, and utilizing the expanded fluid for refrigeration, substantially as herein described and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN D. HOUSTON. 

